To Start Again
by Supersaiyangirl
Summary: In a world gone to hell, Willow uses a spell to send Xander back to prevent the end of the world, it doesn't go to plan and Xander has to start all over again. Twinfic. Timetravel. Major AU.
1. Prologue

Too Start Again

**I don't own BtVS**

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Prologue

Xander ran, dodging round abandoned cars and rumble, in a street in downtown New York, which now looked like a set of a Resident Evil film. He tried to ignore the fact that there were hundreds of demons following them. Five, that was all that was left of his group, their had been ten, seven of them Slayers, when they left an hour ago, to get to where Willow was, now there was just him, Andrew, Dawn, Michelle and Julia.

Suddenly the was a cry of pain behind him, and Xander turned in time to see Andrew impaled on three spikes though the right side of his chest, the spikes were attached to the arm of a demon. Reacting on instinct and the demons head rolled away with one swing of Xander's axe. Andrew slumped to the ground blood staining his lips with every breath. Andrew looked down at the holes in his chest.

"Oh, god," he said. Xander went to help Andrew up. Willow should be able to heal him, when they got back.

"Come on, you'll be as good as new when we get back." He said. Andrew shock his head.

"No," he said. "I'll just slow you down."

"Don't go all noble on me," Xander said. "It doesn't suit you." Suddenly Andrews eyes were filled with a fire Xander had never seen.

"You have to get there, you have to change this, this isn't how it should be!" he said. "Besides, I always wanted to die a hero." With that Andrew brought out a grenade. Xander stared at the man in front of him, he'd changed a lot since Sunnydale.

"You're a crazy SOB, you know that?" Xander said. Andrew chuckled, which quickly turned into a hacking cough, covering himself with more of his own blood. The ever increasing growling and snarling reminded them of the lack of time. "It's been an honour," Xander said, surprising himself, with how much he meant it. He and Andrew, against Xander's better judgement, had become friends over the last year, the year of Hell, literally. Andrew smiled and Xander thought he glimpsed a little of the geek that he'd first met all those years ago, as Andrew brought a sluggish hand over to the grenade and looped a finger thought the pin, at the same time as bring it close to his chest.

"Today's a good day to die," he said, his voice barely louder then a whisper.

"That it is," Xander said, before he turned and ran to catch up with the girls. He caught up with them quickly as it seemed they had stopped to wait for him. Dawn looked at him and saw that he was alone.

"Where's Andrew?" she asked. To answer her there was a loud explosion from where Xander had came from, followed by some equally loud roars of pain. Xander winced, it wasn't a pretty way to die, but a lot better the the majority of people had, in the last year. Dawn's eyes went wide when she realised what the explosion meant.

"Come on we got to keep moving, that wont keep them long," Xander said and they set off again.

Everything had been good for the first four years after the Hellmouth in Sunnydale had been closed and the activation of the potential Slayers. The Watchers and Slayers Council had been set up, and hundreds of Slayers had been found and trained, they were even beginning to push back the darkness. But no one knew, until it was too late, that like all other systems, when they sealed off the Hellmouth, the dark energies had no where to go, and with no realise valve, the pressure was mounting. Then the pressure became too great and all the smaller Hellmouths opened at once. In Cleveland, Hong Kong, Manchester in the UK, one in the Sahara, one just outside Moscow, one in Argentina and one in the Vatican City. In the months following that there was chaos, millions of people were killed, before the WSC and the magic users of the world got organised and fought back. They started to contain the demons to roughly a fifty miles around the Hellmouths.

Then the governments began to panic, and China dropped a nuke on Hong Kong in an attempt to stop the evil from spreading. The massive amounts of, non-magical, energy realised into the heart of a Hellmouth, caused a chain reaction, which resulted in all the Hellmouths being permanently wedged open. Buffy, Angel and Giles had been killed in Hong Kong when it was nuked. Faith, Robin and Spike were killed in Manchester just weeks later. Xander and those with him, don't know anymore than that, as shortly after that civilisation broke down and end of the human races domination of Earth began. That brought them to where they are, the last survivors in the city of New York, they didn't even know if there was anyone else out there, they could be the only humans left. It was not something they could fight, as the war had already been lost. Hell had came to Earth and there was nothing they could do save it now. But there was hope, Willow had been working on a spell, their last hope.

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Xander and the girls finally made it to the fortified police station, which they were using as a base at the moment. He passed Riley and Gunn on his way in.

"Is just the four of you?" Riley asked. Xander nodded.

"Yeah, no one else made it," Xander said.

"Shit," Gunn said. Death was part of life now, it was rare to go a day or two without a death, and even the Slayers were dying on an average of one a week. It was a bad day.

"Where's Willow?" Xander asked.

"Second door on the right," Gunn said, "she's been really agitated." Xander nodded to them and walked to the room. As he opened the door he was attacked by a red blur.

"Oh, god, Xander! I was so worried, could feel all this death and I didn't know if you were OK. But you're here and OK, so that's OK!" Willow said in a rush. Xander hadn't hear Willow babble in so long it was a breath of fresh air.

"Hey, Wills. I'm alright. How about giving me some room," Xander said. Willow moved back and seemed a bit embarrassed by her reaction to seeing him. Xander could see beyond his friend that the room was set out for some serious magic. There were arcane symbols and candles and things Xander couldn't begin to identify.

"Have you got it?" She asked.

"Yeah." Xander said pulling out the amulet. "I hope it was worth it, a lot of people died for it." Willow looked down, looking sad.

"Yeah, it's the last thing I need for the spell, with this as the focus we can start it now," she and walk to the circle.

"Right now?" Xander said. "Shouldn't we wait, so I can say bye to everyone?" Willow was about to respond when the lights flickered above them and the sound of gun fire could be heard. The demons were attacking again. "Ok, so maybe now would be good. What do I do?" Willow sat down in front of the large circle, which was surrounded by runes and other symbols.

"Just sit in the circle, I'll do the rest," she said. Trusting Willow, Xander sat in the circle. He knew the basics of what they were doing, he was being sent back in time, to change what happened, so the Hellmouth wasn't sealed therefore stopping the others from being opened. Willow started to chant, and nothing happened for a moment, before the candle flames flared and turned green, then the room seemed to be filled with static electricity. Willows chanting got louder and the flames got brighter, the symbols on the floor around him started to glow. He started to feel light headed, dizzy and a little sick. There was an explosion nearby and Xander felt and sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw tip of something sticking out of his shirt right where his hear was. The first thing he thought was shit, then, the spell was meant to be used on the living. He looked up to see Willows horrified face before he felt the agonising pain of his soul being ripped from his body before it's time.

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Xander came into awareness, he would have opened his eyes if he had any, but he didn't. He was aware that he didn't have a body at all, but he was being pulled somewhere. He looked round he was in a bedroom, and there were two people in the bed below him. He recognised them, they were his parents, but they looked much younger then he ever remembered them being. He didn't have time to think on this as he felt a jerk, and he was heading towards his mother very fast. He hit her in the stomach and passed though her tissue, a very disturbing experience. Soon he was floating in front of a small bundle of cells, slowly dividing within a membrane. Was that him? This wasn't meant to happen! He felt a very powerful need to touch the cells. Before he could he felt the presence of another, soul. Is that what he was feel? He didn't know this was way too strange. But right now both he and this other soul were trying to touch the cells at the same time. The cell's membrane quivered before splitting in two. Xander didn't have time to wonder at the creation of twins, for that must be what had just happened before he felt another great tug and he hit the cells, he felt himself merge with the physical body and the world when dark.

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**Please review!**


	2. Childhood Part 1

To Start Again

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**Thank you to every one that has reviewed/faved/alerted. **

**Caellach Tiger Eye: Thank you! I do aim to be creative with all my fic's. Hope this doesn't disappoint. **

**Alright on with the story!**

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Chapter 1: Childhood Part 1

Xander could both feel and hear a rhythm, thump-thump, thump-thump, it was comforting, made him feel safe and content. He was floating, curled in a foetal position and he wasn't alone, but like the rhythm it felt right and safe, there was a sense of family. Xander opened his eyes, the world around him was bathed a pale pink colour, like when you shined a touch though your hand, other than that he couldn't make anything else out. Suddenly he was too tired to think, and his eyes drifted closed again.

The next time he woke, he knew instantly that something was wrong, the world around him was pressing uncomfortably around him, it didn't hurt but it just didn't feel right. It was almost like he was being manipulated and Xander didn't like being manipulated. However there was nothing he could do to stop what ever was happening. The pressure got steadily worse, until then, then the whole world changed. Gone was the warmth, the rhythm, the peace and the comfort. It was cold, he was alone, and Xander made his feelings on this known to everyone nearby.

"He's got a good set of lungs, doesn't he?" someone said nearby. He was soon wrapped up in something and the warmth and being contained a little, provided enough comfort for Xander to calm down enough to open his eyes and look around, but try as he did he couldn't get his eyes to focus. There was a grunting scream.

"There's another one," someone said and most of the out of focus giants near he him disappeared from sight. What the hell was going on? Xander asked himself. The last thing he could remember with any clarity was Willow and himself doing a ritual to send him back to change the hell that was the world. They'd been aiming for just before Buffy sacrificed herself to close Glory's portal. He was meant to stop Dawn from ever being cut, therefore Buffy wouldn't die, wouldn't be brought back to life, wouldn't weaken the laws of nature enough for the First to make it's move. Thus no Hellmouth being sealed and no end of the world. Simple enough, but something must have gone wrong, very wrong. Should have figured something would, magic and him never went well together.

Soon he was picked up again, he was placed in the arms of another giant. Xander looked up and blinked to try and focus his eyes again, they focused enough for him to make out the face of a woman, and he recognised her, it was his mother. She was younger than he remembered, she smiled at him then looked away to her left.

"Alexander," she said then looked at him, "Michael Harris, welcome to the world," she said. Xander stared at her in shock as everything that had just happened fell into place. He'd just been born! He was a baby! He passed out.

Months passed, and Xander came to realise a few things, one, breast feeding was the most embarrassing thing ever when you had an adults mind, that was something he would very much like not to remember when he finally grew up again. Two, he was now a twin, he had an identical, younger by ten minutes, twin brother, now if that didn't mess with the timeline nothing would. Three, he wasn't Alexander Harris anymore, his name was now Michael Harris, there goes being Xander ever again. Not that it mattered that much, it was just that he didn't want to lose that much of himself, but he had no choice in that matter. Finally, he really didn't like being a baby, it was boring! He knew how to do things but he couldn't do it as he body wasn't able to. It was infuriating.

Xander started doing things as soon as his body was able to, so had his twin, competition was a wonderful thing. So at just over a year, he was walking and had been for quite some time, however it was tiring and it was quite a feat to avoid his father.

He had thought that he might be able to see his father as he was before he'd started to drink, as he could only remember his father being drunk, but it seemed that Tony Harris had started drinking before Xander had been born. So with this in mind, he should have been more cautious when he found a glass of clear, water like, liquid on the side table by his father's favourite chair in the sitting room. But he was so thirsty after walking from the kitchen in one go. He gripped the glass with both hands and took a deep, for him anyway, swallow. He immediately dropped the glass when he realised with a jolt, that it wasn't water that he just drank, it had burnt his throat as it had gone down. Taking a step back Xander landed on his butt as dizziness over took him and the world went out of focus. Before he lost consciousness he heard his brother start to cry.

When seconds later Jessica Harris entered the room drawn by her crying son, the sight that greeted her would change all their lives forever. The unconscious form of one of her sons. Jessica ran to him and franticly tried to get a response from him. When see didn't get a response she looked round and saw the empty glass next to Michael. Picking up the glass her fears were confirmed, vodka. Tony always drank his vodka neat, and if Michael had drunk that.... Oh God! In a panic she grabbed her bag and scooped up her sons and ran from the house. With wheels screeching she was on her way to the hospital.

Four hours later, after she had finally got Alex to go to sleep, a doctor approached Jessica.

"Mrs Harris?" he asked.

"Yes, how is my son?" she asked with a hint of panic.

"We had to pump his stomach, but we believe that we caught it in time to prevent any permeant damage," the doctor said

"So he's going to be alright?"

"It's to early to say from certain, we won't know until he wakes, but we believe he will be," he said.

"Oh thank god," Jessica said. It was at that moment that Tony Harris made his entrance.

"Where is the little brat!?" Tony shouted. Jessica winced, but quickly got in-between her husband and his access to her sons.

"Please Tony," she begged him. The young doctor's face went stoney as he looked at the man that wasn't worthy to be the father of the twins, and obviously the reason young Michael was in the situation he was.

"Your son should make a fully recovery," he said, trying to keep professional, even when he wanted to knock the man's lights out.

"I don't give a fuck about that!" Tony roared, "I just want to see the little shit that's going to cost me money!" Jessica felt rage build out inside of her that had been dormant for far too long.

"You don't care do you!?" she said. "You don't care that your son almost DIED and it was your fault!"

"You bitch! How dare you speak to me that way!" Tony raised his hand to hit his wife, but it was intercepted by the young doctor.

"I think you should leave," the doctor said, looking over and seeing the security guards making there way over to them. Tony's anger was instantly redirected to the man that was stopping him.

"And you're going to make me?" Tony asked dangerously.

"If I have to." Tony wrenched his arm from the man's grip, and went to hit him, but he was stopped by the guards finally arriving and dragging him away. Tony was spitting obscenities as he went. Jessica sat in one of the chairs by the wall and cradled Alexander to her tightly as if he would vanish if she let go, and cried. One of the nurse went to comfort her. The doctor shock his head in disgust, some men were never meant to be fathers.

The next day Jessica Harris filled for divorce. The day after that Tony Harris disappeared. The following day to that, it wasn't Xander Harris the time-travelling warrior from the future that opened his eyes, but Michael Harris the thirteen month old twin of Alexander Harris.

The next months were hard for Jessica, as with Tony's disappearance she wasn't able to divorce him. She was able to sell the house as there was no way she'd live in that house again. She had to get a full-time job to get enough money to live on, but with two year old sons, that was not an easy thing to do. Until she met, Kelly McNally, who lived down the road from her new house, Kelly was a stay at home mum, and had a son, Jesse, who was the same age as Alexander and Michael. Kelly was more then happy to look after her sons while Jessica was at work. So with that Alexander, Michael and Jesse became fast friends.

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**I have stopped here because I don't know when school starts in America, so if anyone could tell me, the next chapter will come out faster and will be longer. Thanks.**

**If anyone's confused, Xander is Michael now. Alexander is the so called 'original' soul.**

**And we have now officially entered the realms of extreme AU. **

**And don't forget to review!  
**

**SSG**


	3. Childhood Part 2

To Start Again

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**Another chapter Yay!**

**Thank you to everyone that had reviewed, I hope those that haven't are still enjoying this.**

**Sorry I've taken longer than I intended in getting this out, but the first scene was hard to write!  
**

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Chapter 2: Childhood Part 2

The first time it happened was on the first day of Kindergarten. While Michael was only five and well and truly in the girls are icky phase, when he saw the small redhead, sitting at the same table as him and his brothers, as they'd known each other so long that they all thought of each other as brothers, he felt feelings of brotherly love and intense protectiveness. Again being only five, Michael wasn't emotionally mature enough to truly understand the feelings, so he followed them unquestioningly. So when he saw the girl brake her yellow crayon while she was colouring he, without missing a beat, slide his own yellow crayon over to her. Thus cutting off the tears before they fell. The girl looked up surprised and alittle confused, no one had ever been that nice to her, even her own parents. Michael smiled at her.

"Hi! I'm Michael!" he said, cheerfully. "They are my brothers," he said pointing at Alexander and Jesse, who were currently arguing over who's drawing of Spiderman was better. Michael elbowed Alexander in his side, Alexander turned to him giving him the glare that's reserved for siblings only. "New friend." Michael said. They all missed the girl's face flush at being called a friend without them even knowing her name. Both Jesse and Alexander looked over at her, a frown crossed Alexander's face.

"It's a girl." he said.

"Mum said we should make friends," Michael said.

"Yeah, but a _girl_?" The way he said it showed his feelings about that were not very positive. At that moment Jesse showed his feelings about that as he addressed the girl.

"I'm Jesse," he said. He didn't seem to care that she was a girl.

"Willow," Willow said shyly. Now feeling that he was missing out on something Alexander forgot about Willow being a dreaded girl.

"Alexander!" he declared. Willow looked at him and frowned.

"Al...Ale..." a look of concentration crossed her face, "Ale'ander." She said. Jesse grinned and it was Alexander's turn to frown.

"Alexander," he said again.

"Ale'ander," she repeated. This happened a few times and now both Jesse and Michael were sniggering.

"No! Ale-Xander!"

"Al'xander," Willow said then smiled, "Xander." Alexander let out a sound between a whine and growl.

"I like it," Michael said and he couldn't explain why but it sounded so familiar.

"Huh?" Alexander said.

"Xander, I like it," Michael said. Jesse nodded.

"Easier to say Xander." Jesse said. The newly named Xander smiled.

"Yeah, it's cool," He agreed. Michael smiled then frowned.

"Hey, you got a new name, I want a new name!" he said. Willow squeaked when they looked at her.

"Wh..what?" she stammered.

"You're name girl," Michael said.

"Oh, erm..." she looked away and her eyes landed on a Disney poster showing the numbers. "Mickey," she said without thinking.

"I like it!" Xander said, with a wicked grin.

"Yeah," Jesse agreed.

"No!" Michael said.

"You Mickey, me Xander," Michael slumped into his chair and pouted.

"I am _not_ a mouse," he grumbled, but it was too late to complain now and the newly named Mickey knew it.

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The next time it happened was when he was six and a half, he, Xander and Jessica were out shopping and as normal Mickey was bored. That is until they passed a glass fronted building and Mickey glanced inside. What he saw made him freeze. Their were people inside wearing funny clothes, but it was what they were doing that drew Mickey's attention. They were punching and kicking, some by themselves others with someone else, some were even using a stick that was almost as long as they were. Mickey couldn't take his eyes off the scene, he wanted to do that, be there with these people. He felt it was what he was meant to do, what he needed to do. It seemed so familiar, but he couldn't place why. He couldn't turn away, but then he heard his name being called, he wrenched himself from the sight and run after his mum and brother.

When he caught up with them, Jessica immediately started checking him all over.

"Mickey," she said, even his mother called him that now, but he was used to it now. "You know better than that, it's dangerous to run away," she said.

"I didn't run away, I found something," he said proudly.

"That's nice," she said.

"Mum."

"We're going to be late meeting Kelly and Jesse now."

"Muuuum!" Mickey whined. Jessica stopped at that, it was rare for Mickey to whine like that. When she looked down at him, Mickey grabbed her hand, and tried to pull her back the way he'd came. "Come see, please!" Jessica couldn't have been more surprised when he led her back to a Karate dojo. But when she saw the look on his face, a look of longing, that she knew that he'd found his sport of choice. Mickey had his first lesson the next day, and where he went Xander, Jesse and Willow followed, but they gave up after a few lessons. Mickey did not, he wasn't happier then when he was learning a new move, the harder the better. By the time they entered High School, Mickey had his 2nd Dan in Katate and was working towards his 3rd Dan.

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**Yep, short. But it's just picking out the changes to Canon. **

**Mickey may sound more mature then he should at points, but that's because he's an 'old soul' his memories from older Xander are just repressed, but they will leek out. **

**Next chapter will be the start of the show!  
**

**Please review**


	4. Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 1

To Start Again

**I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed, especially Caellach Tiger Eye, your reviews make this so much easier to write. Plus,**** Caellach Tiger Eye,**** you have little to fear as we seem to be on the same level in most things.**

Chapter 3: Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 1

Xander weaved between the human traffic in front of Sunnydale High School on his skateboard. Just as he was about to stop his attention was drawn by the sight of a gorgeous blonde starting up the stairs just as he passed, he'd never seen her before, and in Sunndydale High that was unusual. He was so busy staring at the new girl that he collided with the hand rails.

"Oof," he said as he landed on his back. Moments later a familiar redhead appeared above him.

"Are you alright?" Willow asked concerned. Xander gave her his best grin.

"Yep just testing the rails won't give way and impale some poor high schooler," he said, as he pushed himself up. Willow smiled, then looked round.

"Where's Mickey?" she asked.

"Oh, he came in early to train before school," Xander said as he collected his skateboard.

"Oh," Willow said disappointed, she liked to watch Mickey train. The way he got all hot and sweaty as he worked his katas. She was brought back to the world as Xander snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"Hey, you with me, Wills?" Xander asked. Willow flushed a bit at being caught out on the fantasy.

Er, yeah," she said looking away so he didn't she her blush, not that he would notice, it was Xander after all. But unknown to her he did notice, he sighed, their was little chance at being with her while she lusted over his brother.

"Hey, Wills, could you help me with the math?" he asked, she smiled.

"Didn't Mickey help you?" she asked.

"Ah, well, after we were caught, that one time, with the same work in English, he's sorta refused to let me copy. It's just not right!" Willow frowned at that.

"It isn't right, copying is bad," she said. Xander groaned. "But I'll help you." Xander grinned. "Study, study only mister," she warned. Xander rolled his eyes.

"Great, I'll get mum to make some of her cookies for you," he said, his mums cookies were the best in the world, he didn't know how Mickey could resist the sugary goodness.

"But you'll have to get your own book from the library," Xander gave an overly dramatic groan at having to go to the library. Willow gave him the look.

"Fine, fine," he said as they got to the doors, only to have Jesse get between them draping an arm round each of them.

"Buddies!" he said, "New girl!"

"Hey Jesse, what's the what?" Xander asked. Jesse's grin didn't falter.

"New girl!"

"Well, you're a fountain of knowledge," Xander quipped.

* * *

Xander was just walking passed the principal's office when the door opened and the same blonde that he'd seen earlier walked out, straight into him. Lucky neither of them ended up on the floor, but the girl's bag did. He crouched down to help her collect her things.

"Can I have you?" he asked, and groaned internally at the slip, she was already giving him weird looks and they'd only just met.

"Em, well," she said as she stood.

"I guess I'll see you around at school, maybe, as we both go," Xander said. There was that funny look again, and she was walking away. Xander saw something on the floor and picked it up.

"Hey, wait you forgot you're," he looked at the item in his hand, "stake?" but the girl didn't look back. Xander turned around. "We both go to school, very smooth," he muttered as he walked away.

* * *

Buffy walked down the corridor next to a chatty Cordelia, a frown on her face. _God, was I ever like that? _Yes, she had, before. She reminded Buffy of everything she could no longer have, and she couldn't wait to get away from her. But Cordelia had started talking to her in class and now she couldn't get rid of her. They walked up to a drink fountain, there was a short geeky looking dark haired boy drinking from it at the moment. Cordelia looked at him for a moment, then said.

"Had enough yet, Frodo?" The boy looked up startled and almost tripped in his haste to get away. Cordelia totally missed the unimpressed look Buffy sent her. When she did look at Buffy, she still didn't notice the look. "Losers, once you get to know them by sight they're much easier to avoid," she said.

"Where as the rest of us don't get to avoid you," a voice said from behind them. Their turned and Buffy saw the same guy that had bumped into her earlier.

"Oh, if it isn't Twiddle dumb," Cordelia said. The boy smiled.

"Then I guess that makes you the Queen of Hearts then, taken any good heads lately?" he said. Cordelia smirked.

"As if yours would be worthy." It was then that the boy noticed Buffy.

"Someone call NASA," he said. "Venus has crash to Earth," he said looking at her. It was corny as hell, but Buffy couldn't stop the smile that crept onto her face. It least it was better then 'can I have you.' A lop sided grin appeared on the boy's face, as he extended a hand to Buffy. "The names Mickey Harris, come with me if you want to met people who are less then ninety percent plastic." That was it Buffy officially liked this Mickey, she took his hand.

"Hi, I'm Buffy Summers," she said.

"Hi ya, Buffy," he said, and they walked away. Leaving a fuming Cordelia.

"So," Buffy said as Mickey led her to the quad to met up with the gang. "What happened to 'can I have you'?"

"Huh?" Mickey said confused, what was she talking about. It didn't take him long to realise that she must have met Xander, 'can I have you', did sound like something he would say. Xander never was very good at talking to attractive girls, something Mickey didn't have a problem with. Mickey smiled and decided to have a bit of fun, after all what was the point of having an identical twin if you couldn't take advantage of it once in a while. He wanted to get to know Buffy better, there was something about her that told him they could be great friends. Mickey had learnt to trust these feelings a long time ago, as the only time they were wrong was with Cordelia.

"What? Can't a guy have a Freudian slip without it being caught?" he asked, but his grin gave away his lack of seriousness. Buffy smiled.

"Sorry, for cramping your style," she said.

"Guess, I could forgive you," Xander said. They were now approaching Willow, she was a very good friend, one he'd known almost as long as Jesse.

"Hey Wills, how you doing?" Mickey asked, missing the slight reddening of Willows checks as she smiled. "I'd like you to met the new girl, Buffy. Buffy, this is Willow my bestest friend."

"Hi." Buffy said, smiling.

"Hi," Willow said smiling shyly.

"Hey dude! I thought I was your bestest bud," Jesse said as he appeared behind Willow and jumped over the plants to sit next to her.

"Best male bud, Jesse," Mickey said without missing a beat. "But Wills is my best friend with extras." Now Willow really did blush.

"Out of friend arena!" Willow said. Mickey looked confused for a moment before mentally going over what he'd said and joining Willow in the blushing.

"I mean, helping with school work only, only that! Oh man kill me now," He moaned, despite the blushing Willow managed to look disappointed. Jesse was sniggered and Buffy smiled as she watched the interactions of the obviously long term friends, but there was also a touch of envy.

"Oh man, I never thought I'd see you join me in the foot in mouth competition," Xander said while chuckling as he appeared on the other side of Willow. Mickey didn't say anything. Xander turned to Buffy. "I've got to give you this," he said holding up the stake he'd found earlier. Buffy's eyes widened. "All I can think of is your building a really short fence," he said. Buffy quickly took the stake and hid it in her bag.

"It's for self defence, in L.A, pepper spray is so passé," she said quickly.

"Hey bro," Mickey said with a smirk, "Aren't you going to ask her if you can have her again?" Xander looked away embarrassed.

It was then that Buffy seemed to notice that there were two Mickeys, she looked from Mickey to Xander and back again before slapping Mickey lightly on the arm.

"You've been messing with me." she said, and Willow giggled.

"Ow!" Micky said rubbing his arm where Buffy had slapped him. "What are you the She-hulk in disguise?" Buffy looked embarrassed when she realised her mistake.

"I work out?" she said hoping they would buy it. Mickey looked like he was going to say something when luckily, for Buffy that is, Cordelia appeared.

"There you are," Cordelia said to Buffy. "Are these dweebs annoying you?" she asked, looking with disdain at the others.

"Oh, no, their actually..."

"Anyway," Cordelia said interrupting Buffy, "I've come to say that gym has been cancelled due to the case of the extreme dead guy in the locker room."

"Dead guy?" Buffy asked,

"Yeah, actually fell on Aurora if you can believe it!" Cordelia said as if the idea of a dead body touching her friend was more scandalous then there being a dead body in the first place. Jesse slid up to Cordelia.

"If you need a shoulder to cry on, or even just to hold," he said hopefully. Cordelia looked at him in disgust.

"As if!"

"Were there any marks?" Buffy asked.

"Morbid much! I didn't ask!"

Mickey watched Buffy she looked more interested in it then she should be. Mickey couldn't help but feel that there was more to Buffy than met the eye.

* * *

Buffy walked into the library trying not the think about the dead body in the locker room, it was defiantly a vampire victim, and that was not cool, she moved here hoping that the vampires wouldn't follow and on the first day look what happens, it wasn't fair! The library was a good size, there was a counter and an office to her right and a book cage to the left. In the centre there was a long table with chairs and all the books were on a higher level accessed by stairs either side of the room. Buffy approached the counter.

"Hello?" she called. A figure popped up from behind the counter, startling her, he was in his late forties, maybe, wore tweed and glasses.

"I'm Mr Giles, the... school librarian, and you must be Buffy Summers," he said, Buffy didn't notice the pause.

"Erm, yeah, How did you know?" she asked a bit wary.

"I was informed of you coming." he said, Buffy smiled.

"Great! I'm looking for..."

"I know what you're looking for," Giles said, before disappearing behind the counter again. When he appeared seconds later it was with a big book that he placed on the counter between them, on the cover in big letters was written, Vamprye. Buffy backed away.

"That is so not what I was looking for," she said. Giles frowned.

"You are Buffy Summers, are you not?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Buffy said looking defiant.

"The Slayer?"

"Not anymore," Buffy said, "left that in L.A." Giles rounded the counter.

"Now look here, being the Slayer isn't something you can return like a faulty television. It is who you are, your destiny, you are the Chosen One to stand against the vampires and the demons," he said with the fire of conviction.

"Well I can just be unchosen! I don't want it! It's bad enough that it got kicked out my last school, but now on the first day here some guy turns up dead by vampires!" Buffy turned and headed for the door.

"Will he rise again?" Giles said from behind her, Buffy turned.

"What?"

"The man, will he rise again?"

"No, to make someone a vampire they have to drink your blood then you have to drink theirs it's this whole big sucky thing. Why am I still talking to you!"

"Because it your destiny, you are the Slayer."

"I don't do destiny!" Buffy said and with that finally stormed out of the library. Leaving Giles tiredly cleaning his glasses. It the stacks where neither Buffy or Giles could have seen him Xander steps out.

"What?" He whispers.

* * *

**Ok there you have it. hope it was worth the wait.**

**After this the changes from Canon will really start to kick in. :)  
**

**Please review.**


	5. Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 2

To Start Again

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Sorry that it's taken so long to update, but the summers been frantic and with indecision on where I was going with this and writers block it took along time to write. Hope it's worth it!**

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Chapter 4: Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 2

Buffy was making her way to a club that Cordelia had mentioned earlier, the Bronze, if she was going to have any kind normal life in this town, she would have to try doing normal things. Besides she might see Mickey. Now that was some major male yumminess, and after she'd found out he had a twin, she thought his name was Xander or something like that, she couldn't believe she'd mistaken them for each other. Their dress sense alone were worlds apart. Mickey wore dark jeans and a t-shirt, while Xander seemed to like burning holes in your retinas with his shirts. Not to mention Mickey had some muscle under his shirt, Willow told her it was from years of martial arts training. Which again made with the yumminess. Now Jesse and Willow, Willow was nice, in a nervous homely way and Jesse, well he was the sort she would have made fun of back when she was a cheerleader. Over all they were a nice group, something her mother would call the 'right sort'.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice that she was being followed before she was grabbed from behind, spin and shoved against the nearest wall by her neck. She found herself staring at the deformed face, fangs and yellow eyes of a vampire. She struggled, but found that the vampire had her pinned bodily against the wall and there was no give to use her Slayer strength.

"Now what have we here? A nice little morsel for my supper?" The vampire said with a leer. Buffy couldn't help it, she rolled her eyes, then spat in it's face. The Vampire growled, then looked vaguely surprised before exploding into dust. Buffy coughed and flapped the dust away, she looked up to see who had saved her. It was a man wearing dark clothes, with a dark trench coat, which looked way too heavy for the warm Californian evening.

"Thanks," she said.

"You should be more careful, Buffy, the vampire slayer," he said. "With the Harvest coming."

"Urm, the Harvest?" Buffy asked, "and how do you know who I am?"

"We stand on the mouth of hell and it's about to open, you should be ready, here," the guy said, ignoring her questions, he tossed a small black box at her, Buffy caught it automatically.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"A friend," he said. Buffy opened the box there was a small silver cross on a silver chain inside.

"A friend of who?" she asked and looked up to find she was alone in the alley. She looked either way but couldn't see him anywhere. "No, that's not weird, not at all," she muttered as she continued her way to the Bronze.

Buffy entered the club and looked round. There was a band playing on a stage off to the side and a bar which also sold food. The centre was made up of a dance floor. There was a balcony forming another level, with seating, under the balcony there was a pool table and more seating. It was nice. Once Buffy got a drink she spotted Willow sitting at one of the tables alone, and headed over.

"Hey!" Buffy said all chipper like.

"Oh, hey," Willow said as if she couldn't quite believe Buffy was talking to her.

"What ya doing?"

"Waiting for Mickey, he said he might come tonight," she said.

"Oh, are you two..." Buffy left it hanging hoping Willow would catch the unasked question, she did.

"Oh, no," Willow said. "But Xander and I did once,"

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

"We broke up,"

"Oh, why?"

"He stole my Barbie," Buffy who was drinking at the time, just stared at her wide eyed. "We were five," Willow clarified. Buffy sighed.

"What about recent dating activity?"

"I don't date, ever," Willow said emphatically. Buffy looked at Willow, if she changed her dress sense she would have guys all over her.

"Why not?"

"When I met a guy I like, I go all incoherent and babbily, it's not pretty."

"Look, Willow, ya know my philosophy, you what to know my philosophy right?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded.

"Uh huh,"

"Seize the moment, because tomorrow you might be dead," Buffy looked up to see someone on the balcony that really didn't look like he belonged. "You know what I'll be right back,"

"Oh you don't have to come back," Willow said.

"I'll be right back," Buffy said emphatically. Willow smiled as Buffy left, she looked round the club.

"Seize the moment," She said to herself.

Buffy approached Giles as he stood at the railings.

"Could you look more out of place?" she asked. Giles startled at her question and turned to see her and relaxed when he saw who it was. "I really didn't picture you into this scene."

"Yes, well," Giles said flustered, "I was on the look out."

"What for?" Buffy said.

"Vampires," he said and Buffy rolled her eyes. "No matter your opinions on the subject, this is the perfect hunting ground for them."

"I don't know why you keep on about this. I'm retired from the dusting business," she told him.

"The attacks from vampires and other supernatural beings have increased in the last few mouths, it's as if they were preparing for something." Giles said.

"The Harvest. I know, your friend told me," Buffy said. Giles started and looked over at the Slayer.

"What did you say?"

"The Harvest. That mean anything to you, 'cause I'm drawing a blank." Giles looked thoughtful.

"I'm not sure. Who told you this?"

"Some guy, he saved me after a vamp got the jump on me. Tall, dark handsome in an annoying sort of way. Thought you two were buds," she said.

"No," Giles said looking more than alittle worried. "Did say anything else?"

"Just something about the mouth of hell. I really didn't like him," she said.

"I believe this needs looking into. But right now we need to talk about the fact that vampire surprised you."

"Hey, I was distracted," Buffy said.

"Never the less as the Slayer you should be able to pick out any vampires in the area." As he said this Buffy started to scan the room below. "You should be able to hone your senses to find..."

"There's one," Buffy said taking Giles be surprise.

"Where?" he inquired. Buffy pointed out a man talking to a girl that neither of them could make out.

"There with that girl,"

"Buffy you can simply point out anyone and call them a vampire," Giles said as if talking to a child. Buffy gave him a level look and managed to resist another eye roll.

"Giles, take in his outfit," she said. Giles looked again. The man was wearing an open neck shirt and his jacket sleeves were rolled up above his elbows, all together a very eighties look.

"It's dated," Giles offered.

"It's carbon dated," Buffy said, "Only a vamp would think that was still in fashion."

"Yes well, you didn't hone," Giles said a little put out. At that moment the vampire was leading the girl he'd been talking to towards the door, the girl look round and they could see that it was Willow.

"Willow!" Buffy said and left the balcony.

When she reached the alley she'd seen Willow and the vampire disappear into, there was no sign of them. Buffy was desperate, she didn't want to see the sweet girl as vampire food, or worse turned. She heard a noise behind her and turned stake raised to stake, Cordelia. Buffy pulled up in time, but not before Cordelia screamed.

"What's your malfunction!" Buffy strained to look behind the cheerleader.

"Have you seen Willow?" she asked.

"No," Cordelia said as if seeing Willow was the last thing she'd want. Buffy pushed past her back into the club. "Hey! What's her problem?" Cordelia said and the Cordettes shook their heads in amazement. "Exuse me while I call everyone I know," she said while pulling out her mobile.

Giles met Buffy inside the club.

"I must say that was fast," he said.

"Didn't get him," Buffy said in frustration.

"You didn't slay the vampire?" Giles said a touch worried at this revelation.

"No, but my social life's on the critical list."

"You best keep looking, I'll met you back at the library."

"Okay," Buffy said as they both left the club, neither noticed Jesse talking to a young blonde in a Catholic school uniform.

* * *

Mickey left his house and started on the journey to the Bronze, where he'd arranged to meet the others later. Xander had already left. It was strange, that even though they were identical twins, they had very different personalities. Mickey was more mature and focused and Xander was more easygoing and slightly geeky. It was only Mickey's martial arts reputation that prevented their group from being bully magnets, however that didn't stop Cordelia. Mickey and Cordelia had an understanding, she could be as mean and sharp-mouthed to him as she liked, but she couldn't touch any one else in his group.

The closer Mickey got to the Bronze the more uneasy he felt, it was like he was missing something, like something very important was happening some where else. He'd felt something similar earlier in the day when he'd seen Buffy with Cordelia, when he'd felt it was vital that he spoke to her, to get to know her. That they were meant to be friends. Now he was getting it again, only far more intense, it was like he knew someone was going to _die_ if he didn't do something. He was almost at the Bronze when it got too much. A very confused Mickey turned sharply and headed to the nearest cemetery.

As soon as he entered the cemetery the feeling eased up a little but was still very insistent that someone was going to die if he didn't hurry. He pressed further into the cemetery, passing trees and gravestones. He looked round, he was alone, in a cemetery, at night, something he'd always instinctively known was a very bad idea.

"It's official, I've finally gone insane," he muttered. It was then that he saw three figures coming towards him in an odd stumbling run. Two were clearly supporting the one in the middle. They got closer and Mickey could see that they were... Xander, Willow and Jesse. The trio stopped when they saw Mickey.

"What are you doing here, mister?" Willow said in surprise.

"Huh? That's my line," Mickey said.

"We ask first," Willow said. Mickey paused he couldn't tell them why he was really here, they'd think he was insane.

"I just had a feeling I should be here." Xander rolled his eyes, he was used to his brothers feelings. He'd said that before he'd gone to talk to Cordelia, and the hadn't had any problems with her since. Mickey stepped up to Jessie and stared at the wound on Jessie's neck. There was something very familiar about that wound, freaky but familiar. "What happened?" he asked them.

"Monsters," Willow said, "They took me and Jessie, and the girl monster bit Jessie."

"Hicky," Jessie mumbled.

"Then Buffy and Xander came Buffy did something and the guy monster turned to dust. She told us to run and we did as best we could then we saw you and then here we are." Willow said finishing her babble. Mickey blinked.

"Monsters?"

"Yeah, sharp teeth, yellow eyes, freaky foreheads. I think they were vampires." Xander said. Vampires? That was insane right, vampires don't exist, right? But everything was so familiar like he already knew it. It was the same as he got during lessons at school as if he was just relearning something he'd learnt along time ago but forgotten. It didn't make any sense and he was getting a headache just thinking about it. Then something Willow said clicked in his mind.

"Buffy? You said Buffy was there and you left her with that thing?" he asked incredulously. Xander and Willow exchanged looks over the top of Jessie.

"She told us too," Willow said.

"She seemed to be able to handle it, and she's the Slayer, whatever that is," Xander said lamely. Mickey's headache reached a new height and he rubbed his eyes and shock his head to try and get rid of it.

"Bro, are you alright?" Xander asked.

"Fine, just a headache," Mickey said looking back at them. "I'm going to find Buffy, you head home."

"But.." Xander started.

"You've got to protect Willow and Jessie, in case those things come back." Xander looked at his twin and an understanding was come to, he nodded. Mickey nodded back and moved past them.

"You stay safe," Willow said as he past her.

"Of course, got to be back for my Willow," Mickey said with a dazzling smile. Willow blushed, before the trio moved on. Mickey's smile faded as he turned back and followed the line the trio had come from. Something told him that he'd made the wrong choice, but Mickey shrugged it off they would be fine, but Buffy was alone against an unknown enemy and someone was going to die tonight he knew it.

Then a blonde figure appeared out of the night, for a moment Mickey thought it was Buffy, but somehow Mickey didn't think Buffy would dress like a Catholic schoolgirl. The girl got closer and Mickey took an involuntary step back. That was defiantly not Buffy. She had almost glowing yellow eyes, a really ugly forehead and she was grinning showing off sharp teeth and fangs. Vampire, his mind supplied, oh shit. He was so worried about his friends that it never occurred to him that he might be the one that died.

"Well what have we here, you look tasty, perfect for the Master." The vampire said advancing on Mickey who was walking backwards. He needed a weapon, but he didn't dare look away from the vampire in front of him. He didn't know why but his hand when instinctively to he neck, where his crucifix lay. Everyone teased him about wearing one even though he wasn't religious, but he'd always felt safe with one on. He pulled it out as the vampire growled and pounced on him, Mickey shoved the crucifix in the monsters mouth. The vampire screamed and stumbled back smoke pouring from it's mouth. Mickey blinked in surprise, he didn't know where that instinct had come from. He shook himself out of it and sent a jab at the vampire face and followed quickly with a roundhouse kick that sent it stumbling back. Mickey instinctively grabbed a jagged looking branch from the ground and stepped up to the distracted vampire that still had smoke coming from it's mouth and plunged the branch deep into it's chest. A second later there was a pile of ash and a very shocked and confused Mickey.

He didn't know how long he stood there staring at the ash, his mind was a confusing conflicting mess. His thoughts were along the lines of, 'I killed her, she was a vampire she needed to be destroyed. I stuck a branch in her chest and now she's ash, how did I know to do that?' He didn't have an answer for himself and it was scary. Someone put there hand on his shoulder. He jerked and looked up into the brown eyes of Buffy Summers. Mickey felt some his tension fall away when he saw her.

"You okay?" she asked. Mickey swallowed and glanced again at the ash. "Hey," Buffy said getting him to look at her again. "You did good, see vampire, kill vampire, but leave it to me next time, okay?" She was smiling and Mickey couldn't his lips twitch in a smile back at her. Mickey didn't say anything, he didn't trust himself to speak at the moment.

"Let's find the others," Buffy said. Mickey nodded and they moved off, Mickey still holding the branch.

Minutes later they found Xander brandishing his own branch and defending a semi-conscious Willow from two vampires. Buffy dived into the fight and in didn't take long before two more vampires were ground fertiliser. Mickey went to help Willow up when something occurred to him.

"Where's Jessie?" he asked, he had a bad feeling about this, he felt like he'd just failed in something very important but didn't have a clue what. Buffy looked panicked and looked around the graveyard frantically but there was no sign of Jessie anywhere.

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**As you can see canon has been shot out the water. **

**Plus keep in mind that nothing is going to be sacred in story!**

**Please review.**

**SSG**


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